Electric heating panel

ABSTRACT

An electric prefinished heating panel having a layer of heat conducting material and a layer of heat insulating material with an electric heating element sandwiched therebetween. The heating panel is used with conventional acoustical ceiling tiles to form a ceiling of a room with the heating panels interspersed among the acoustical tiles to provide the desired pattern of heat.

United States Patent Inventor Hugh Martin RR. 1, Box 192, New Salisbury, 1nd. 47161 Appl. No. 857,126 Filed Sept. 11, 1969 Patented Sept. 7, 1971 ELECTRIC HEATING PANEL 7 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

u.s. Cl 219/213, 219/345 Int. Cl 1105b 1/00 FieldoiSearch 219/213, 345

Relerences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1950 Grothouse 219/345 3,020,379 2/1962 Ludlow et al. 219/213 X 3,260,835 7/1966 Soukey et a1. 219/213 FOREIGN PATENTS 638,250 3/1962 Canada 219/345 721,834 11/1965 Canada 219/345 Primary Examiner-J. V. Truhe Assistant Examiner-C. L. Albritton Attorney-Lane, Aitken, Dunner & Ziems ABSTRACT: An electric prefinished heating panel having a layer of heat conducting material and a layer of heat insulating material with an electric heating element sandwiched therebetween. The heating panel is used with conventional acoustical ceiling tiles to form a ceiling of a room with the heating panels interspersed among the acoustical tiles to provide the desired pattern of heat.

PATENTEU SEP 7 [SH mvsmon HUGH MART/N ELEc'rnIc HEATING PANEL BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION In accordance with the prior art, entire ceilings of rooms have been made of asheet material having an electric heating element embedded therein. The exposed surface of the ceiling is finished off to provide a smooth, uninterrupted plaster surface which is painted. Alternatively, 4 by 8 dry wall sheets have been made having heating elements embedded therein. The dry wall sections are nailed to the ceiling of the room and the joints between the sections taped and plastered over in the conventional mannerfor installing dry wall sections. The ceiling again is painted to finish it off.

With both of these prior art arrangements the heating element extends over substantially the entire ceiling to provide heat atallpoints on the ceiling. In addition, the ceiling cannot be rearranged or repaired without requiring replastering and painting.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention a prefinished electric heating panel is provided in sizes corresponding to conventional acoustical ceiling-tiles. In the finished ceiling, the electric heating panels are used in place of selected ones of the acoustical tiles to provide a predetermined pattern of heat for the room. The heating panels may be concentrated over drafty sections of the room such as over windows, doors and along colderoutside walls.

In the event the finished ceiling provides too much or too little heat for the room, the heating panels can be rearranged and changed in numbers to provide the desired amount of heat distributed over the room in the desired manner. If one of the heating panels should later have to be replaced, it is simply removed and replaced without damaging the rest of the ceiling. The prefabricated heating panel of the present invention is particularly well suited for use in the well-known drop ceilings wherein the individual acoustical tiles loosely rest on a supporting grid'frame. From the foregoing, it is apparent that the heating panels of the present invention are well suited to provide electric ceiling heat for existing rooms having acoustical tile ceilings.

In the preferred embodiment, the individual heating panels comprise a layer of good heat insulatingmaterial bonded to a layer of good heat conducting material with an electric heating element; sandwiched therebetween. The heat conducting layer forms the surface of the panelto be exposed on the ceiling and is prefinished to provide an attractive appearance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other features of novelty of the present invention will be specifically pointed out or will otherwise become apparent when referring,,for a better understanding of the invention, to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of a heating panel illustrating one embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a room having a drop ceiling employing the heating panel of FIG. 1 along with conventional acoustical ceiling tiles.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referringto FIG. 1, an electric heating panel 10 is shown which illustrates one embodiment of the invention. It comprises a rectangular layer l2having an upturned flange 14 along each of the four edges thereof. A layer 16 of a suitable heat insulating material such as styrofoam or urethane is bonded to the layer 14 with a conventional electric heating element 18 sandwiched therebetween. Styrofoam and urethane are both lightweight cellular materials with urethane being preferred because it can withstand higher temperatures.

The electric heating element is the same type now being used in electrically heated ceilings. It is arranged in sinuous fashion with terminal wires 20 and 22 connected to the ends thereof which project through the layer 16 tofacilitate electri cal connection of the heating element to other heating panels as will be described. The upturned flanges 14 extend along the edges of the layer 16 to provide protection.

The panel 10 is designed to be used in conjunction with conventional acoustical ceiling tiles to form a heated ceiling for a room. The layer 12 can be made of any suitable material, including an acoustical material so that the heating panel will be indistinguishable from the acoustical tiles with which the heating panel is to be used in the finished ceiling. However, in the preferred embodiment shown, the layer 12 is made of a good heat conducting material, such as, a thin metal sheet of aluminum, to readily distribute the heat of the heating element over the entire surface thereof and readily transmit the heat to the room. The exposed surface of the metal layer 12 is prefinished in any suitable manner to provide an attractive finished surface. If desired, the exposed surface can also be embossed to provide an attractive design such as a French Provincial pattern.

Referring to FIG. 2, a portion of a room 28 is illustrated comprising sidewalls 30, 32 and 34 and a dropped ceiling 36. The dropped ceiling 36 comprises the conventional metal grid frame 38'for supporting a plurality of conventional acoustical ceiling tiles 40 and the electric heating panels 10 arranged in a suitable pattern, such as the checkerboard pattern shown in FIG. 2. The acoustical ceiling tiles 40 and heating panels 10 are loosely dropped into position on the grid frame in a con ventional manner. The electric heating panels are electrically interconnected with one another and with a source of electrical power by means of the terminal wires 20 and 22 which project into the space above the drop ceiling.

The pattern of the heating panels 10 is arranged so that an electric heating panel 10 is positioned directly over a window 42 in the wall 32 of the room to compensate for any draft that might occur at the window. Other panels 10 can be positioned over other windows and doors of the room where additional heat might be needed. In the event one of the outside walls is a particularly cold wall, heating panels 10 can be arranged along the entire wall without acoustical tiles therebetween to provide a solid curtain of heat along the wall.

It is apparent that the heating panels 10 and acoustical ceilingtiles 40 can be arranged and rearranged as necessary to provide the desired amount and distribution of the heat. It is also apparent that the heating panels 10 readily lend themselves to providing electrical ceiling heat for existing rooms having acoustical tile ceilings, either of the drop ceiling type or the type wherein the-tiles are secured to the ceiling. Certain ones of the acoustical tiles can simply be removed and replaced by electric heating panels 10 without damaging or replacing the remaining acoustical tiles. The heating panels 10 can also be mounted on a wall or floor of a room, if desired. If this is done the exposed surface of the metal layer 12 can be provided with a wood tone finish or some other finish which would be attractive for a wall mounted panel.

Iclaim:

1. In combination, a room having a plurality of separate panels mounted to form one surface of said room, some of said panels being prefinished electric heating panels each having an attractive exposed substantially planar surface with an electric heating element embedded in the heating panel, each of said heating panels being mounted in a manner to be replaced without damaging the adjacent panels, changed in number, and rearranged in location with other of said separate panels to provide a desired pattern of heat so that said prefinished electric heating panels extend over selectable portions of said one surface, said panels being further characterized in that said prefinished electric heating panels are substantially indistinguishable when mounted and when viewed toward said one surface thereof from other of said panels which do not contain an electric heating element, each of said prefinished electric heating panels being defined by the combination comprising:

a first member formed from heat conducting material which readily transmits heat from said heating element through said first member for defining the exposed substantially planar surface of said electric heating panel when mounted in said room, and readily distributes heat from said heating element over substantially the entire exposed surface thereof, said member further defining upturned flanges at the sides of said exposed surface, each of said upturned flanges extending at least a portion of the thickness of said electric heating panel,

a second member formed from heat insulating material which inhibits the transmission of heat therethrough, said second member being at least partially enveloped at the edges thereof by said upturned flanges on said first member, said second member being substantially coextensive with the extent of the inner face of said exposed surface and bonded thereto,

said electric heating element being sandwiched between said first member and said second member so that a substantial portion of the heat generated by said heating element is transmitted through said first member into said room, said electric heating element being arranged in sinuous fashion substantially adjacent said first member so that heat generated therefrom may readily be transmitted through said first member, said element further defining terminal conductors passing through said second member and extending therefrom from an unflanged and exposed surface thereof, said terminal wires being adapted for electrical connection to either or both a source of power and the terminal wires from other electric heating panels in said room.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said surface is the ceiling of the room and said other of said panels are acoustical ceiling tiles, which do not provide heat.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein said ceiling is a drop ceiling having a suspended grid frame with the panels loosely resting on said frame.

4. A prefinished electric heating panel for use in combination with a room having a plurality of separate panels mounted to form one surface of said room, some of said panels being said prefinished electric heating panels each having an attractive exposed substantially planar surface with an electric heating element embedded in the heating panel, each of said heating panels being capable of being mounted in a manner to be replaced without damaging the adjacent panels, changed in number, and rearranged in location with other of said separate panels to provide a desired pattern of heat so that said prefinished electric heating panels may extend over selectable portions of said one surface, said panels being further characterized in that said prefinished electric heating panels are substantially indistinguishable when mounted and when viewed toward said one surface thereof from other of said panels which do not contain an electric heating element, said prefinished electric heating panel being defined by the combination comprising:

a first member formed from heat conducting material which readily transmits heat from said heating element through said first member for defining the exposed substantially planar surface of said electric heating panel when mounted in said room, and readily distributes heat from said heating element over substantially the entire exposed surface thereof, said member further defining upturned flanges at the sides of said exposed surface, each of said upturned flanges extending at least a portion of the thickness of said electric heating panel,

a second member formed from heat insulating material which inhibits the transmission of heat therethrough, said second member being at least partially enveloped at the edges thereof by said upturned flanges on said first member, said second member being substantially coextensive with the extent of the inner face of said exposed surface and bonded thereto,

said electric heating element being sandwiched between said first member and said second member so that a substantial portion of the heat generated by said heating element is transmitted through said first member into said room, said electric heating element being arranged in sinuous fashion substantially adjacent said first member so that heat generated therefrom may readily be transmitted through said first member, said element further defining tenninal conductors passing through said second member and extending therefrom from an unflanged and exposed surface thereof, said wires being adapted for electrical connection to either or both a source of power and the terminal wires from other electric heating panels in said room.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said panel is rectangular with smooth prefinished side edges for cooperating with the supporting grid frame of a drop ceiling.

6. The invention of claim 4 wherein said first member is a metal member having upturned flanges at the sides thereof, said heating element and said second member being positioned within said flanges so that the flanges form the side edges of said panel.

7. The invention of claim 6 wherein said second member is a lightweight cellular material which can resist high temperatures. 

1. In combInation, a room having a plurality of separate panels mounted to form one surface of said room, some of said panels being prefinished electric heating panels each having an attractive exposed substantially planar surface with an electric heating element embedded in the heating panel, each of said heating panels being mounted in a manner to be replaced without damaging the adjacent panels, changed in number, and rearranged in location with other of said separate panels to provide a desired pattern of heat so that said prefinished electric heating panels extend over selectable portions of said one surface, said panels being further characterized in that said prefinished electric heating panels are substantially indistinguishable when mounted and when viewed toward said one surface thereof from other of said panels which do not contain an electric heating element, each of said prefinished electric heating panels being defined by the combination comprising: a first member formed from heat conducting material which readily transmits heat from said heating element through said first member for defining the exposed substantially planar surface of said electric heating panel when mounted in said room, and readily distributes heat from said heating element over substantially the entire exposed surface thereof, said member further defining upturned flanges at the sides of said exposed surface, each of said upturned flanges extending at least a portion of the thickness of said electric heating panel, a second member formed from heat insulating material which inhibits the transmission of heat therethrough, said second member being at least partially enveloped at the edges thereof by said upturned flanges on said first member, said second member being substantially coextensive with the extent of the inner face of said exposed surface and bonded thereto, said electric heating element being sandwiched between said first member and said second member so that a substantial portion of the heat generated by said heating element is transmitted through said first member into said room, said electric heating element being arranged in sinuous fashion substantially adjacent said first member so that heat generated therefrom may readily be transmitted through said first member, said element further defining terminal conductors passing through said second member and extending therefrom from an unflanged and exposed surface thereof, said terminal wires being adapted for electrical connection to either or both a source of power and the terminal wires from other electric heating panels in said room.
 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said surface is the ceiling of the room and said other of said panels are acoustical ceiling tiles, which do not provide heat.
 3. The invention of claim 2 wherein said ceiling is a drop ceiling having a suspended grid frame with the panels loosely resting on said frame.
 4. A prefinished electric heating panel for use in combination with a room having a plurality of separate panels mounted to form one surface of said room, some of said panels being said prefinished electric heating panels each having an attractive exposed substantially planar surface with an electric heating element embedded in the heating panel, each of said heating panels being capable of being mounted in a manner to be replaced without damaging the adjacent panels, changed in number, and rearranged in location with other of said separate panels to provide a desired pattern of heat so that said prefinished electric heating panels may extend over selectable portions of said one surface, said panels being further characterized in that said prefinished electric heating panels are substantially indistinguishable when mounted and when viewed toward said one surface thereof from other of said panels which do not contain an electric heating element, said prefinished electric heating panel being defined by the combination comprising: a first member formed from heat conducting material wHich readily transmits heat from said heating element through said first member for defining the exposed substantially planar surface of said electric heating panel when mounted in said room, and readily distributes heat from said heating element over substantially the entire exposed surface thereof, said member further defining upturned flanges at the sides of said exposed surface, each of said upturned flanges extending at least a portion of the thickness of said electric heating panel, a second member formed from heat insulating material which inhibits the transmission of heat therethrough, said second member being at least partially enveloped at the edges thereof by said upturned flanges on said first member, said second member being substantially coextensive with the extent of the inner face of said exposed surface and bonded thereto, said electric heating element being sandwiched between said first member and said second member so that a substantial portion of the heat generated by said heating element is transmitted through said first member into said room, said electric heating element being arranged in sinuous fashion substantially adjacent said first member so that heat generated therefrom may readily be transmitted through said first member, said element further defining terminal conductors passing through said second member and extending therefrom from an unflanged and exposed surface thereof, said wires being adapted for electrical connection to either or both a source of power and the terminal wires from other electric heating panels in said room.
 5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said panel is rectangular with smooth prefinished side edges for cooperating with the supporting grid frame of a drop ceiling.
 6. The invention of claim 4 wherein said first member is a metal member having upturned flanges at the sides thereof, said heating element and said second member being positioned within said flanges so that the flanges form the side edges of said panel.
 7. The invention of claim 6 wherein said second member is a lightweight cellular material which can resist high temperatures. 